


All My Warriors Crap

by pluie



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Apprentice - Freeform, Cat, Cats, Medicine Cat Apprentice, Warrior Cats, all my crappy original characters, compiling all of these bad boys into one place, medicine cat, warrior apprentice, warriors - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-10-05 07:00:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17320196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pluie/pseuds/pluie
Summary: I LOVED Warriors when I was younger. So, I've written a lot of stories in this world and I wanted to put them all in the same place! None of these are completed, just as an fyi!





	1. Chapter 1

The air was cold. That's the first thing the newborn kit noticed. Well it had been about a moon since Larkfall had had her kitting. The nursery was well protected and the with her mother's and the nest's warmth the cold wasn't unbearable, but the air from outside where the cold rain fell, drafted in. She could hear her sister moving around beside her and the general chatter among cats. It was the middle of Leafbare and her body shook as Larkfall shivered. Wearily, the kit opened her eyes.  
She was greeted by a dim scene. Her head was resting on her paws, her mother, Larkfall's tail, draped over her body. She slowly lifted her head to rest it on the lip of the moss woven nest. The floor in the nursery was tan and well packed, the walls woven with large leaves and this sticks. There were three more nests in the nursery, two occupied, but only one Queen with kits.  
All the cats were asleep and Thrushkit was vaguely aware of the slight patter of rain outside in the clearing. She looked over to the entrance and saw two cats sitting, staring at the camp entrance. Sitting silently, watching. The kit yawned and glanced around again at her mother this time.  
Larkfall was a medium sized sandy cat with short fur, with a white underbelly. Her ear twitched as she dreamt. She looked at her littermate. Another she-cat by the name of Heatherkit slept soundly, she was a brown tabby like their father. Thrushkit was a brown tabby with a dark muzzle and white tail and ear tips along with a white chest. Heatherkit had a matching dark brown muzzle but white was not found on her pelt.  
Thrushkit slowly sat up and stepped over the lip of the nest. Larkfall's tail moved to her other kit, moving slightly. Thrushkit unsheathed her claws experimentally and dug them into the nursery floor before sheathing them and padding to the entrance. She blinked back at Heatherkit and Larkfall, then at the other Queen in the nursery. She directed her gaze back at the clearing.  
The rain fell hard, drowning out the pine and squirrel scent, replacing it with the damp smell of plants. The smell of rain as common in PineClan, but whenever it was sunny, it was always better. Hare was found on the clear hill at the edge of MoorClan territory. As a negotiation with the neighboring clan, PineClan was allowed on the hill if there was a truce until New Leaf. The squirrels were scarce in Leafbare.  
Thrushkit gave a final glance at her mother and sister before stepping into the downpour. Her small body shook with a shiver, but curiosity took over. She padded silently to the two warriors, her scent disguised by the rain. She sat down next to the one on the right, who jumped at her presence.  
"Hello!" The small cat squeaked. The other warrior now stared at the tabby.  
"What are you doing out Thrushkit?" The left cat asked.  
"How do you know my name?" The kit questioned.  
"Because you're a new kit silly!" The right cat spoke now.  
"I'm Sandback, I'm a new warrior."  
"I'm Mudsplasher," the left she-cat purred. "Also a new warrior." Thrushkit scrunched up her nose.  
"Why are you in the rain?"  
"It's called a vigil. Every warrior does it to protect the camp when they are made into full warriors." Mudsplasher explained.  
"One day you'll sit a vigil, when you become a warrior." Sandback shook his pelt, causing the left she-cat to hiss in annoyance also shaking.  
"I want to be like Petaldream." Thrushkit declared thrashing her tail against the ground, causing a small puddle to splash around. Mudsplasher nodded approvingly. "Maybe,"  
"You want to be a medicine cat?" Sandback asked, though he sounded more curious than judgemental.  
"I think so, I don't like fighting. I don't like it when Needletail and Dustclaw argue." Needletail and Dustclaw were two Elders' who had fought since kit-hood and long since forgotten what they fought about, but instead of changing kept up the quarrel. Thrushkit shivered.  
"I don't like fighting either, but you should go back to the nursery, or else you'll end up in the Medicine Den!" Thrushkit nodded reluctantly.  
"Bye bye Mudsplasher. Bye bye Sandback." With that she turned promptly and padded toward the nursery. Once back inside she shook her pelt and climbed back into their nest. Larktail stirred slightly before opening one eye, shaking her head, and moving her tail to cover Thrushkit. 

~∆~

Thrushkit bounded over to Heatherkit and pounced on a ball of moss. As much as she wanted to be a Medicine Cat apprentice, you couldn't kill the warrior within her. She still liked to pounce and stalk and she liked the idea of hunting, she liked the idea of it, but fighting seemed horrid and being able to help other cats overruled being a warrior.  
Heatherkit batter at her sister's ear and swiped the ball of moss into her jaws giving it a violent shake. Her tail swishing through the air happily. Thrushkit jumped up and over her sister and then halted as she ran into Gorsepelt. The experienced warrior turned around with a angry twitch if the tail. He glared, but his gaze softened at the kit.  
"Watch where you're going Thrushkit, or else you'll be in the Fresh-Kill pile." The kit nodded, and turned back to her sister. Heatherkit patted at the moss, losing interest. Heatherkit padded back to the nursery. Suddenly a black cat streaked across the clearing, skidding to a half next to where Heatherkit had stood. Sootkit, a she-cat two moons older than Thrushkit.  
"Hey mouse brain." Sootkit meowed with a glint in her now green eyes.  
"Hey," Thrushkit whined, Sootkit was just looking for trouble.  
"Toughen up you kittypet." Sootkit was a good cat, but bored. She had reached the point where she didn't want to be in the nursery anymore, but was there for another moon.  
"That's not nice." Thrushkit mewed, she didn't want to start a fight with the five moon old she-cat, she herself was only three moons.  
"Are you gonna go cry to your father? Oh wait, you don't have one. He's dead." Sootkit had taken it too far, the younger tabby kit snapped with a lash of the tail.  
"At least I'm not half ShadeClan blood." She hissed. "Leaftalon died in a battle for PineClan." Sootkit's tail dropped abruptly and her glare turned to something else. Thrushkit couldn't place what. Suddenly the older kit tore away quickly to the nursery and Thrushkit glanced toward the Medicine Den. Padding slowly, but knowing Petaldream would not criticize, she approached the rocks.  
The Medicine Den started as two flat rocks forming a triangular entrance, covered partially in vines. The dirt clearing faded to a cold stone floor. Inside there was a pool of water and on either side a two tail length wide pathway to the back. In the back was a vine curtain to block wind. After inside the next chamber you could turn right to patient nests or left through more vines to the Medicine Cat's nest. Between the main chamber and the Medicine Cat's place was a smaller room full of herbs.  
Thrushkit took the left pathway, as most cats did, to the area between patient nests and the Medicine Cat's chamber. In the back it was a bit dark, but above the pool there was a small opening, as was there one in the herb area. Thrushkit sat down for a second, taking in the den's smells or herbs and rock but still of pine and squirrel.  
"Petaldream?" She called cautiously through the vines to the medicine cat's den. There was a rustle of leaves and the medicine cat appeared. She was a pretty tortoiseshell cat with long fur. She had caring light green eyes and long whiskers. She flicked her tail happily at her frequent guest.  
"Hello Thrushkit," she mewed, dipping her head.  
"Hi..." The kit's ears twitched apprehensively. Thrushkit looked at her paws, realization about what she said to Sootkit was sinking in and she felt horrible.  
"What's wrong Thrushkit?" Asked the older cat.  
"I said something to Sootkit that I shouldn't have." She looked at her paws sadly.  
"What did you say?" Petaldream asked calmly.  
"She taunted me about dad so I got angry and said 'At least I'm not half ShadeClan.'" She makes a face.  
"How did she respond?"  
"Badly," she whispered.  
"You should apologize, then just go to the Elders' den to hear a story and get your mind off things." Petaldream suggested lightly.  
"Okay, I will." And with that the kit left the Medicine Den and padded to the Nursery.

~∆~

"But Larkfall, I want to go to the training hollow!" Heatherkit whined lashing her tail.  
"No. Now hush Heatherkit. Sootkit and Galekit are becoming apprentices today."  
"Besides," Sootkit and Galekit's mother, Poppygust, cut it. "You aren't allowed it of camp until you're six moons old." Larkfall swished her tail.  
"Exactly. Thank you Poppygust." Thrushkit sat quietly at the edge of the nest.  
"All cats old enough to catch their own squirrels, gather beneath the Low Branch!"  
Thrushkit squealed and leapt up, taking a few long bounds to the edge of the nursery entrance. She stepped into the clearing and hazed up at the Low Branch. The Low Branch was a low hanging branch on a half fallen over tree. The tree had landed on a rock, and had been there for many seasons over.  
On the Low Branch was Falconstar. His gray pelt glistening in the dying Sun High light. She felt envious of Galekit and Sootkit, but accepted with a flick of her tail that they were older and that was fair. Poppygust stepped out from the Nursery, her gray tabby pelt catching lightly on the sides. Her blue eyes flashed with pride as the licked Sootkit's dark gray pelt.  
Galekit bounded forward, to be scolded by his mother, he sulked back. Thrushkit purred at his expression and curled her tail around her paws. Galekit squealed in protest as his mother licked his pelt, Sootkit scrambled out from under her mother with an indignant hiss. Heatherkit jumped from the brush of the Nursery and landed besid her sister.  
"Sootkit and Galekit have reached the age of six moons. They have spent their kit hood in the nursery with Poppygust and Mothclaw." The proud father's eyes glistened from the other side of the clearing, his apprentice, Eaglepaw, smiled widely at his mentor's kits. "They are ready to become apprentices. Sootkit, Galekit, please step forward." The two kits stepped forward excitedly.  
"Gorsepelt, you are an experienced warrior, you have trained many warriors, in fact, you trained my deputy, Harestreak. I expect you to pass on your courage to Galekit. Galekit from this point onward, you will be known as Galepaw until you receive your warrior name." They touched noses  
"Sootkit, until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Sootpaw. Berrystorm, you are a good warrior and you have incredible judgement. I hope you can pass these traits on to your apprentice." The two she-cats touched noses.


	2. Random Allegiances??

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the previous story's allegiances.

Leader  
Falconstar 

A large gray tabby tom. He was brown piercing eyes and has big muscles. Has great strategy's.

Deputy

Harestreak  
A medium sized brown tabby she-cat. She has bright blue eyes and is excellent at hunting.

Medicine Cat

Petaldream  
A tortoiseshell she-cat with light green eyes. She has a strong connection to StarClan and gives advice. Sister to Blossomleap.

 

Warriors

Gorsepelt  
A gray tabby tom with blue eyes.

Sandback  
A yellow tom with amber eyes.

Mudsplasher  
A small, solid brown she-cat with brown eyes.

Graystreak  
A big gray tabby tom with blue eyes. Brother to Mothclaw.

Mothclaw  
A large bray tabby tom with silver eyes. Brother to Graystreak.  
Apprentice - Eaglepaw  
Cloudheart  
A white tom with blue eyes. Brother to Sunfur.

Berrystorm  
A brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes. Sister to Brambleleap.

Brambleleap  
A brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes sister to Berrystorm.  
Apprentice - Foxpaw  
Smallnose  
A small solid light brown she-cat with yellow eyes. 

Sunfur  
A yellow tom with yellow eyes. Brother to Cloudheart.  
Apprentice - Badgerpaw

Firelight  
A bright orange tom with amber eyes.

 

Apprentices

Badgerpaw  
A small tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes. 

Foxpaw  
An orange she-cat with green eyes.

Eaglepaw  
A gray tabby tom with blue eyes. 

 

Queens

Larkfall  
A sandy colored with white underbelly, she-cat with blue eyes.  
Heatherkit and Thrushkit.

Poppygust  
A gray tabby she-cat with white paws with blue eyes.  
Sootkit and Galekit

Blossomleap  
A tortoiseshell she-cat with brown eyes. Sister to Rosedream.

 

Elders'

Needletail  
A brown tabby tom with brown eyes and a nick in his ear. Brother to Dustclaw.

Dustclaw  
A tan tom with brown eyes. Brother to Needletail.

Noear  
A sand colored tom that has become near deaf with age.

Redflower  
A red she cat with green eyes and a short temper with everyone but kits and the leader.


	3. Birds' Flight Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was an RP that I had with an ex-friend. I loved this idea. I even made a my own prophecy!

“Two cats whose names of bird,  
Sit in prime light, they will be heard.  
Healers and leaders they shall become,  
Their paths have been set, it needs to be done.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{RP Starts} 

Ravenkit groaned, feeling a soft but strong paw padding firmly on her side. Blinking her golden-amber eyes open she was almost blinded by the bright sunlight that shone down into the nursery entrance. Her tiny, young heart almost skipped a painful beat as she thought that she overslept.   
However, this was not the case.  
Her mother, Blossomleap, was shaking her awake and promptly started to lick her.  
Still in mid-blindness from the sunlight and confusion as to why it was so bright today, she allowed her mother to clean her black coat that was patched with ginger markings.  
"It's the first day of Green-leaf." She heard her mother explain.   
'That' why it's so bright this morning!' Ravenkit thought with excitement running through her veins in the form of adrenaline.   
She knew what that meant.  
Today was her apprentice naming ceremony.   
Today she was going to become Ravenpaw.

Dovekit woke at the sound of her mother's calm mew. She opened her blue eyes wide, staring into her sister's amber eyes with excitement. As long as Falconstar and Petaldream went through with her request, she would become a medicine cat apprentice! With a purr of happiness she set to lick her cream pelt. The blinding light that filtered through the fern was disturbed as a sadly colored Tom shifted through them. Her whiskers twitched with joy as he looked at his two daughters proudly.   
'Today I'm going to become Swallowpaw!'  
She thought with a shiver. Today would be the best day of her small life.

Ravenkit shivered in excitement and anticipation as her pelt was bathed in the thin but hot summer's morning light.   
'I'll be a warrior!... Well a warrior apprentice,' she thought to herself as she turned her head to see her father, Sunfur.

Dovekit went to nuzzle her nose into her father's chest but was grabbed by the scruff by Blossomleap. For a moment she struggled but went limp. She would need her energy today! She would go around the territory with the medicine cat and learn all about the herbs and how to treat everything that would happen in camp. She was snapped out of her thoughts as Sunfur turned his head as Harestreak called him to the clearing for a hunting patrol.   
"Goodbye little ones, I'll see you in a bit, but you'll be apprentices then!" She darted away and Dovekit let her mother lick her pelt clean.

Ravenkit felt a rising sense of pride in her chest for her father.'Maybe one day I'll patrol with the deputy!' She hoped to herself as she dreamt of being a well respected warrior who patrolled with high ranking cats like the leader, deputy and the older warriors.

As her mother finished cleaning her she looked at her sister with a spark in her eyes.   
"Ravenkit, are you excited?!?" She wriggled against her mother, a contradiction to her personality. She could imagine calling her sister from the medicine den entrance,'Ravenpaw!'  
"I'm so excited! I want to start training right now!"

"Well you haven't got your name or mentor yet!" Ravenkit meowed in a sarcastic tone but she smiled as she said it; unable to hide her excitement.

"Yeah... But-" she cut off as her mother stood up. She glanced over at her. "Where are you going? Is something wrong? Can I help?" Her caring nature took over, making sure she was alright. Blossomleap purred in amusement. "I'm getting up to get fresh kill, I'm fine Dovekit," She flicked her tail happily. Dovekit nodded and looked at her sister.

Ravenkit was always trying to get used to the way her sister had a natural instinct to help and it was great but it always made her seem more mature than herself and she didn't want to be the immature one of the two.   
Although she loved her sister and got along with her very well, she couldn't help but recognise how they were polar opposites of each other.   
"You'd make a great medicine cat." She commented kindly, her voice in a neutral tone.

Dovekit looked over at her sister, smiling widely.   
"Thanks!" She looked through the fern. "You'll make such an awesome warrior you know. I could never be a good warrior, I'm too much of a fraidy kit. You have to be really brave, you're braver than me for sure. And strong, I'm not very strong..." She trailed off and looked back at her sister. "It'll be hard to be a warrior, I bet that, but I'll always be for you in the medicine den." She stepped closer. "I promise that much."

"Thank you." Ravenkit mumbled quietly and smiled gratefully at her littermate.   
"It'll be fun training to be a warrior." She said out loud to herself. Looking at Dovekit she meowed, "who do you think my mentor will be?"

"Hmm, probably Falconstar because only a great warrior could mentor my excellent sister!" She meowed playfully. "Or Sunfur, he might let him do it..."

Ravenkit swished her tail in excitement and smiled uncontrollably. "Oh shut up!" She meowed in a friendly tone. 'This might just be the best day of my life if everything continues like this!' she thought happily to herself.

Dovekit nodded her head and followed suit behind Blossomleap to the fresh kill pile. The hunting patrol would be back soon which meant the apprentice ceremony would be soon! She picked up a small piece of fresh kill and padded to the area between the nursery opening and the bush tunnel to the dirt place. She sat, tucking her tail around her as she ate and gazed at her clan mates. They were of all coloured pelts, from blazing orange to soot black to tree bark colored tabby's to sand backed cats. There were white cloud pelted cats and tortoiseshell fur. Their territory was diverse too. From the perfect camp to the big moor hill to the thick forest and pine woods. The cherry blossom grove and the rustling stream or the resting place where all the dead cats were buried. Dovekit was excited to see it all when she toured the territory. There was the training sand and the training stream and the fishing stream and the rabbit tunnels and the briar patch and it was all in their slice of land and Dovekit was very happy to live in BriarClan.

Ravenkit sighed and lay down in the shaded area of the nursery. Her bright golden amber eyes closely watched the kits play fighting in the moss of their nests.   
She couldn't help but dream of the territory she was going to see. How far would she travel? What prey might she catch?   
Although she felt uncomfortable to realise that her own sister, who she spent most of her time with, wouldn't be there to explore the forest and the moor with her.   
That was if she were chosen to be a medicine cat apprentice...  
'But then again..' Ravenkit thought,'Why wouldn't she be chosen to be a medicine cat apprentice? Everyone can see how perfect she'd be for it.... And how un-perfect I would be for it...' she scoffed to herself as she tried to imagine herself being a medicine cat apprentice.   
No way!

Dovekit finished her fresh kill and locked herself clean in preparation again as Sunfur came back from the hunting patrol. When all the cats laid their fresh kill on the pile and returned to various places among camp, Harestreak went to the Leaders' Den as Petaldream raced in upon the patrol entering camp. After a few moments of tenseness the ferns rustled again and Falconstar excited the den proudly. The leader soared up to the Tower Rock and she stood.

Hearing the sound of paws march into the camp and the ferns rustle against the soft warm pelt of her clan leader, Ravenkit perked up, her ears alert and eyes wide.   
It was time.  
Moments later she had darted to the nursery entrance to see Falconstar upon the Tower Rock, the sun beamed down as if welcoming the soon-to-be apprentice's ceremony.   
Ravenkit shook with anxiety and adrenaline all at the same time. 'Where's Dovekit?!' she panicked but soon saw her sister.   
Trotting quickly over she tried to appear collected but her eyes shone with the fierce fire of a thousand suns burning in the black outer space that were her own dark black pelt.

Dovekit looked at her sister excitedly. She was going to become a medicine cat apprentice today, she could feel it!   
Her tail lashing with excitement and anxiety thinking about what was to come. Cats gathered and Blossomleap and Sunfur sat behind their kits proudly and happily, even Needletail came from the Elders' Den. Dovekit's eyes shone with excitement. She would make Petaldream proud! 

"Did you see Petaldream run out of the medicine den?!" Ravenkit lashed her tail in excitement. "I bet she knows she's going to be a mentor!"

Dovekit smiled widely her eyes shining. She turned to her sister to say something but Falconstar spoke.   
"Cats of BriarClan," His voice was loud and clear ringing through the trees. "Ravenkit and Dovekit have been aged to six moons and are ready to become apprentices in our clan." Cats murmured in general agreement.   
"Dovekit," Dovekit stepped forward, her excitement building like a tall strong flower that would not wilt. It's petals shaking with anticipation and its leaves outstretched in happiness.   
"You are ready to become a full addition to our clan." She nodded quickly, a medicine cat she would become!   
"Harestreak," The flower wilted, the petals rushing to the ground in a rush of cold hard wind, the leaves fell and the stem broke in half, her tail drooped and her eyes wide in panic.   
'What do you mean?!'   
"You are a great deputy and you have fantastic courage. Teach Dovekit well."   
The tabby she-cat leaped down and touched noses with the shaking now kit soon apprentice.  
"From this moment on, you shall be known as Dovepaw." Dovepaw nodded her head and took a step back, so nervous and anxiety ridden she would have liked to been able to collapse right there.  
'Me? A warrior apprentice?' She thought.'No. This can't be right.' 

Ravenkit looked on as she saw Dovepaw's expression change to horror, almost before the last line had left Falconstar's mouth. Though she was not in surprise at all by Dovepaw's reaction. She too were frozen in shock, unable to step forward or approach the middle of the group of cats that had surrounded the base of the Tower Rock. Forcing herself to move forward, her bones stiff as tree bark. She slipped round all the legs and bodies of her clan mates and reached Dovepaw's side.

Dovepaw closed her mouth, dipped her head, and stepped backward, her mind racing a mile a minute. She looked to Ravenkit and forced a smile, curling her tail around her paws.'At least now we can travel the territory together...' She thought miserably. 

Ravenkit trembled. She felt a deep disturbance inside of her. Like something had gone seriously wrong and she was scared of what might happen next. Although nothing bad was about to happen, right?  
On the other hand, she was surprised and in awe that the deputy was mentoring her sister!   
She wondered who her own mentor would be.  
She gazed up at Falconstar for as long as she could without her eyes hurting from the blazing sun.  
She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Petaldream was staring intently at her.

Dovepaw trembled with uncertainty. She looked at her sister and at her paws.   
Surely she was overreacting. She should be happy she's a warrior apprentice. She took a deep breath and tucked her paws closer to her body and watched as Ravenkit's apprentice ceremony began.

Ravenkit waited, still in shock. She almost was starting to feel anger rise inside her. How could they have been so blind to not see how much Dovepaw wanted to be a medicine cat apprentice? And it wasn't all about what she wanted, no. She was also perfect for it.  
How did they not know.  
She frowned in disbelief.

Dovepaw waited, biting her tongue from saying something, anything rude or how the leader was wrong.   
"Ravenkit." Falconstar spoke again. "You have sat quietly as I've named your sister an apprentice as you've also waited a long 6 moons as a kit." Dovepaw smiled at Ravenkit. "Your mentor will be Petaldream,"   
'What?!?' She thought furiously. 'No! No! No!' Dovepaw couldn't get a coherent thought in her head as she was internally yelling as loud as the owl that lived near the stream at the edge of the forest.   
"From this moment on, you will be known as Ravenpaw."

Ravenpaw felt panic and shock shoot through her veins, her legs felt weak and she sat down for a moment, her head spinning. She saw Petaldream walking towards her and force herself to smile as she heard the clan begin to chant "Dovepaw! Ravenpaw!"

Dovepaw barely heard the chanting through the internal yowling. As the crowd dissipated the mentors came up to each one of them respectively.   
"Hello Dovepaw, ready to tour the territory?" Asked Harestreak.   
"Uh, um, sure." She managed to force out. As the two of them padded to the clan opening, she watched as Petaldream began talking to Ravenpaw.   
'Maybe they'll tag along with us?' She thought to herself as she jumped up a large boulder then on the forest floor. 

Petaldream padded forward and touched noses with Ravenpaw in the traditional way.   
Pulling away as soon as possible, Ravenpaw nodded respectfully to Petaldream. It felt weird to know that her mentor was the medicine cat. Especially when she knew she shouldn't be the medicine cat apprentice!   
And even weirder to consider that this same cat that was her mentor was littermates to her own mother.   
However, little did that cross any other cat's mind as they all dispersed themselves around the camp and continued with their normal duties.   
This left Petaldream and Ravenpaw to stand in their own bubble of awkwardness.  
"So Ravenpaw," Petaldream spoke happily and warmly. She was genuinely nice and seem excited to have an apprentice.   
"I thought we could start by going to the medicine den and learning some basics. How's that?" She smiled at Ravenpaw.  
How could she say no?  
She couldn't.  
"That would be great!" Ravenpaw faked a happy tone and forced her tail to swish with excitement as she agreed to the idea while every part of her said no.  
She hoped this was a bad dream.

As Dovepaw padded along she couldn't help but feel as it everything was backwards. She was supposed to be in the medicine den, not Ravenpaw. She needed to be here where she was. As they padded along the well trodden path that most cats used to get to the main forest hunting area. The woods was thick with oak trees and maple trees.

Ravenpaw slowly followed Petaldream to the medicine den.   
Everything felt wrong.  
But she had to pretend for now.  
It wasn't that bad was it?  
Maybe it would be okay.

She carefully slid through the lichen that hung down over the entrance of the medicine den. It slide over her black and ginger patched pelt. 

She sat down in the medicine den and faced Petaldream who was sitting down waiting for her.  
Petaldream's eyes were wide with expectancy.  
"So, what do you know so far about healing and herbs?"   
Ravenpaw was caught off guard and felt like a large warrior had just jumped into her side during a battle and slammed her off her paws.  
"Umm... Not much ...." She slowly managed to say.

Dovepaw stared at the ground. She'd much rather be learning about herbs and where to find the right berry to help with bellyaches or how to collect cobwebs.   
"Dovepaw?" Harestreak had stopped a tail length back.   
"Huh?" She spun around, feeling her pelt heat up.   
"I asked if you wanted to try a hunting crouch.." The deputy trailed off. Dovepaw looked down at her paws and back up, her whiskers trembling in embarrassment.   
"Uh.. Sure?" Dovepaw watched as the elder she-cat dropped into a pristine crouch, obviously well practiced and perfected.   
Dovepaw looked over and looked down, awkwardly crouching to the forest floor.   
"Keep your tail straight and low," Harestreak critiqued. Dovepaw grit her teeth in frustration.   
'You have to hunt as a medicine cat,' She thought her eyes widening. She straightened her tail and made to look like Harestreak, well, a bad version of her mentor.   
"Good first try," Harestreak commented. Dovepaw pushed up from the crouch, shaking the odd feeling from her pelt.   
"Wanna try a few simple battle moves?" Harestreak asked timidly. Dovepaw's eyes widened. "I-I know it's your first day but it's good to get a base." She explained.   
"O-Oh okay," Dovepaw stuttered.   
"There's a move called a Front Paw Blow, and we use it for defense and offense." She explained, demonstrating how they brought their front paw down on the head but on a rock to show.   
"Got it?" After Dovepaw had tried a few times. She nodded, she wanted to get back to camp and see Ravenpaw and ask about her day.   
"Try it on me," Harestreak meowed which made Dovepaw's stomach drop. "Oh okay..." She mewed quietly stepping forward anxiously. She brought her paw up slowly and patted her mentor on the head. The she-cat shook her head.   
"You aren't going to hurt me, I've had strong warriors attack me with unsheathed claws." She winced at the thought of that pain.   
"Okay.." She tried again, slightly harder this time.  
"We'll have to work on that." Harestreak turned to face the camp again.   
"Let's go back and I'll catch something." 

Petaldream blinked questioningly at Ravenpaw as if what the apprentice had said was wrong by some standard.   
Ravenpaw swallowed. /I should know something shouldn't I?.../ she thought to herself as she got a sinking feeling in her stomach that told her she was already disappointing her mentor.   
"Okay well let's start learning some of the basics then." Petaldream stood up and turned as she walked to where the herbs were stored in neat piles in holes in the ground, signalling with her tail for Ravenpaw to follow.  
Ravenpaw silently followed, as light on her paws as a ghost.

Dovepaw sat silently and watchfully as Harestreak stalked a mouse. Harestreak crouched back and then pounced as fast as a flash of lighting, speaking of storms the clouds got darker and darker as the day dragged on. The air tasted of rain and booms of thunder could be heard in the distance.   
The fishing stream would overflow and the pond at the Cherry Blossom Grove would be dancing with droplets. Harestreak trotted back to Dovepaw and they walked together to the camp entrance. As they reached the boulder to jump down it started to drizzle. Harestreak dropped the mouse and gave the apprentice permission to eat. She grabbed a rabbit to share with Ravenpaw as it began to pour. She darted to the Medicine Den and called out:   
"Ravenpaw?" She shook her pelt of raindrops as she waited. 

After what seemed to be an eternity spent on looking at leaves and berries and trying hopelessly to remember their names and some uses for them, Ravenpaw was more than delighted to hear her name being called by a familiar voice.   
It had begun to rain lightly but she swore she had heard distant rumbling of thunder. Though knowing Ravenpaw, it could have easily been her imagination.  
She looked at Petaldream, her ears perked up in hope that she would be dismissed from today's learning to go and see her sister.   
Petaldream only smiled and nodded while the rain on the trees above provided background sound.

Dovepaw was very happy to see her sister, she placed the rabbit on the ground. She stretched out and sat down. Ravenpaw joined her and Dovepaw took a bite of the rabbit thankfully. They ate in comfortable silence until there was a meow from the Medicine Den opening.   
"Dovepaw?" Harestreak's meow was questioning, "Oh I thought I'd find you here," She said when the apprentice replied. "I just realized you never made your nest! Come on then," Dovepaw looked at her sister with a horrified expression and slowly stood up.

Petaldream nodded to Harestreak and turned to Ravenpaw. "That reminds me that you need to make a nest in here." She motioned to a spot that was empty in the opposite corner of the medicine den to where the sick cats slept.  
"I'm glad I have some moss spare in the herb store. Could you go get it please and I'll show you how to make your nest." Petaldream smiled with enthusiasm.  
Ravenpaw nodded and then replied, "I think I'll be fine making my own nest." She meowed, kindly rejecting Petaldream with a neutral toned voice. She got up and padded away to the place where the herbs were stored. 

Dovepaw looked at Harestreak barely under the overhang from the Medicine Den.   
"So, where do I get the moss and bracken?" Harestreak let out a mrowww of laughter moving forward slowly as she spoke.   
"In the forest silly," Dovepaw closed her mouth and looked at the entrance out corner of her eye. "I'm going to let you go alone, okay?" She didn't wait for the apprentice to respond. "So you'll go out straight and then turn left and there will be a big tree with a lot of moss. You'll peel it up and you can get bracken and ferns from pulling their stems." Dovepaw nodded hesitantly. "Alright then, good luck! I'm sorry I would come but I can't." And the deputy left the apprentice in the pouring rain questioning why in StarClan she was a warrior apprentice.

Ravenpaw wished she could go with Dovepaw. It would give her a chance to talk privately to her sister and maybe they could work out how what had happened with their apprenticeship.   
But for now she had to make her nest properly.  
She quickly got to work on it. Although she was trying to get it over and done with she worked carefully to make it neat.

Dovepaw sat as rain washed through her cream pelt. She stared at the gorse tunnel shivering with the cold. At least she could collect a warm best for the night. She stood and glanced around before slipping out of camp and bounding up the boulder in planned jumps.   
'I may not make the best warrior but I can jump,' She thought. As she padded alone she could feel the darkness pressing in and could help but feel panic rise in her throat. The tip of her tail lashed back and forth quickly and her blue eyes darted back and forth, the forest at night was a but of a creepy sight.   
The canopy of large oak leaves and branches provided a slight halt from the rain. She spotted the bracken and moss, thankfully it was covered by the tree's large circumference. She peeled up the moss as demonstrated by Harestreak and tucked it under her chin. She bit off bracken and fern and held them in her mouth. She leaned back stumbling slightly as she did so from the unfamiliar load in her mouth. The bracken and fern filled her mouth with a humid wetness and her chest was dampened from the moss.   
As she reached the boulder she readjusted her moss. She jumped down and entered through the gorse tunnel and padded straight forwards through camp to the Apprentice Den. There were five nests in the den, only three that were occupied, the other two recently abandoned by new warriors Mudsplasher and Sandback. Badgerpaw, a tortoiseshell she-cat smiled as she entered.   
"You need some help?" The younger apprentice nodded as the elder one trotted over.   
"Where do you want your nest?" Dovepaw nodded to the back left corner that had a sharp left angle. It bordered the Nursery and the wall was well woven and sure to be warm. As the two padded lightly over Eaglepaw entered, a gray Tom, followed by a bright orange she-cat named Foxpaw. The two soaking wet apprentices bickered about hunting as Badgerpaw helped Dovepaw.   
She set the bracken around in a circle, the sides touching the den walls. She dug a small hole to put her moss inside of.  
She pressed down on the moss, it was springy and cushiony. She pressed in the fern and she looked at it happily. It was neat and crisp but very soft and deep. Badgerpaw nodded in a way of saying: "Good job," and left to her own nest.   
Dovepaw sat on the light brown packed dirt that ran through all the dens and the clearing. Her stomach growled as she realized she never ate her price of fresh kill.   
She got up, her muscles yowling in protest, sore after a long tiring day. As she padded toward the exit of the apprentice den she yawned and thought to how she was only a kit at Sunrise. She scented the air as she reached the fresh-kill pile to smell the prey but was greeted only by the familiar scent of trees and rain. With a grown she picked up a robin and padded back to the entrance of the Apprentice Den. She laid down and began to eat, pulling away the feathers and down into a small pile next to her. After she finished eating she gathered up the down and feathers and put them in her nest. A small but good move in the right direction.   
If she was going to be a warrior apprentice then she might as well attempt to enjoy it.   
She pressed a paw into the moss and stepped inside her corner nest. After circling and settling in she curled her tail around her paws and rested her head on her paws and the lip of the nest. She gazed from the back of the Apprentice Den out into the clearing. She watched as Harestreak moved around and Mothclaw, Eaglepaw's mentor, called him to get ticks of Elders' as he wasn't listening during the battle moves lesson. Her mother, Blossomleap, shook her pelt and retrieved a price of fresh kill from the pike. Falconstar organized a hunting patrol with her father, Sunfur and his apprentice Badgerpaw, who stood reluctantly. Berrystorm and Sandback also tagged along. Harestreak led a border patrol with Graystreak, Gorsepelt, and Smallnose.   
Seeing as Harestreak muttered to: "Get some rest," as she saw Dovepaw return to camp, the new apprentice shut her eyes and thought about the day ahead.

Ravenpaw sighed in relief as she finished arranging her nest as close to perfection as she could. Hearing the rain outside was the most calming sound in the world to her right now.   
Everything was beginning to fall silent in the camp as they day came to an end.   
She realised how mentally tired she was from trying to remember the names of this leaf and that berry and this ones use and that ones use.   
It had been a long day.   
Padding silently out into the camp, she quickly dashed to the fresh kill pile and grabbed a mouse before heading back to the medicine den to eat.  
She lay down by her nest and slowly began to eat, hoping the freshly killed mouse would satisfy her stomach.


	4. Super Short?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is so short lol

It was bright before she even opened her eyes. She could feel her mother beside her and her brother’s absence. The moss of the nest was soft and springy, it was warm from sleeping through the night. She could hear more than she could feel though. She heard many cats speaking, the sound of cats eating prey and exchanging stories. There was the padding of paws near and far. A cat’s joyful yowl of laughter and the sounds of chirping birds. 

She could smell her mother, Duskpelt, she smelled warm and like home. The moss smelled like the forest, oh how she wishing to venture into the woods. She slowly opened her eyes, to be met with her brother, Beetlekit, staring at her near her face. Her hair stood up, startled, and she lurched backward onto Duskpelt. Duskpelt jerked awake and looked at the wildly.

“Beetlekit!


	5. Longer but still short

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I loved this one so much so... here :)

"Let all cats old enough to visit the stars gather beneath the Tall Rock for a clan meeting!" Called Featherstar loudly from the mouth of her den. In two leaps she sat at the tip of the rock gazing around the clan. A few moments later Lionstripe, the deputy, and Fogwhisker, the medicine cat, joined her. 

Badgerkit looked expectantly at her mother, Dustcloud. When she earned a nod she and her brother walked bravely into the middle of camp. The dark tortoiseshell glanced at her brother who had his chest puffed out. 

"Today we celebrate Redkit and Badgerkit for waiting six patient moons in the Nursery." She paused to gaze around the camp. Badgerkit stole a look at Fogwhisker and hoped to StarClan she could be the medicine cat apprentice. 

"Redkit, it is time you begin to train as a warrior apprentice. I call upon Brackenstripe to be your mentor." A dark brown tabby tom with blazing amber eyes stepped forward. "Brackenstripe, I was your mentor and you have proved an excellent warrior. Please teach Redkit your determination and skill." Brackenstripe stepped towards Whitekit. "From this moment on until you become a warrior, Redkit, you will be known as Redpaw." 

Badgerkit cheered her brother on with the rest of the clan and watched as they touched noses. She felt butterflies invade her stomach as if she had eaten a bad piece of fresh-kill. As Featherstar called her name her fur stood up on her back in excitement. 

“Badgerkit, your time has come. It is time that Fogwhisker takes on an apprentice. Fogwhisker has been an excellent medicine cat for many seasons and since you have shown in interest in this, we think you are a respectable fit.” Badgerkit buzzed in anticipation. 

“Fogwhisker, you have learned much and walked in the way of StarClan. I trust you will teach Badgerkit the knowledge and passion she needs to know to succeed as a medicine cat.” Fogwhisker leaped down from the Tall Rock to stand by Badgerkit. “From this moment on until you become a full medicine cat, you will be known as Badgerpaw.” The clan shouter her name and her brother’s. 

“Oh, I'm so excited for you two!” Said Dustcloud. The cream colored she-cat wrapped her tail over her kits. Badgerpaw gazed happily at her mother and then to a black tom who was cutting across the clearing. 

“Great job, little ones.” Nightstorm, her father, congratulated his kits. “Well, your mentors will be looking for you.” Badgerpaw lead away from her parents, Redpaw coming up beside her.

“Are you excited?” Redpaw asked, flicking his tail around. 

“Absolutely, mousebrain.” She looked over at him. Redpaw’s mentor called for him.

“Bye!” She continued towards Fogwhisker. Fogwhisker was a large white-ish gray she-cat, Badgerpaw continued to her mentor. Her tail flicked in excitement as she met the medicine cat’s bright green eyes. 

“Good morning Badgerpaw,” She spoke respectfully but with an air of importance. “Are you ready to finally start working with the herbs and not just watch?” She was referencing her frequent visits to the medicine den as a kit. She had sat there and just listened as Fogwhisker treated cats, she had given recommendations on what remedies to use and when. 

“Oh, yes. I've been dreaming about this for as long as I can remember.” She mewed, beginning to follow Fogwhisker back to the medicine den. “Redpaw has been talking about becoming a warrior and hunting and fighting and I poke him telling him that I'll learn it all.” Fogwhisker nodded her head with a purr, her tail flicking around, amused. 

“Well, right now we’re going to review all of the herbs we can find on BriarClan territory.” She paused, going through the ferns that covered the entrance to the medicine den. “Then we’ll go out and I'll show you around.” Fogwhisker dug her paw into a hole in the ground and took out a large leaf with spiky edges. “What’s this?” She promoted. 

“A birch leaf?” Badgerpaw gazed at it a moment more. “No, a beech leaf.” 

“Do you remember what it’s for?” 

“For carrying herbs. You told me that when I first came over.” Fogwhisker nodded, taking two leaves out and then moving on. She gestured to a pile of flowers that looked like dandelions. 

“And these? Do you remember what they’re called?” 

“Oh. Coltsfoot. You used it when Nightstorm had sore pads.” Said Badgerpaw.

“Good job. We need to get Coltsfoot, Juniper Berries, Ragwort Leaves, and Marigold.” She continued. “Coltsfoot is for sore pads and grows by water so we’ll go to the stream. Marigold grows by water as well, they stop bleeding and infection.

“Juniper Berries are everywhere just not where it’s wet, they help with strength. Ragwort leaves grow everywhere and when it’s mixed with the juniper berries it can help with aching joints and also helps with strength.” Badgerpaw nodded hesitantly.

“Okay…” She trailed off.

“Don't worry, I don't expect you to remember this all right now. It's only the first day.”


	6. Names

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more names!

Badgergaze  
Badgerspeck  
Badgersong  
Badgerwhisker

Berrycreek  
Berrydapple   
Berrydaisy  
Berrydawn  
Berrydusk  
Berrygaze  
Berryleaf  
Berrylight  
Berrypetal  
Berrypond  
Berryspeck  
Berrysong  
Berrywhisker

Briarcreek  
Briardapple  
Briardaisy  
Briardawn  
Briardusk  
Briargaze  
Briarleaf  
Briarpetal  
Briarpond  
Briarspeck  
Briarspot  
Briarsong  
Briarwhisker


	7. Chapter 7

“JayClan warriors never back down!” Rainkit bellowed.  
“Never ever!” Otterkit hissed. Mistykit and Fallingkit fell over in laughter. The three young she-cats and the Tom smiled with bright eyes, tails fluttering about and paws flailing. Otterkit pounced on a piece of moss, showing his muscles and Rainkit followed jumping on Otterkit instead. Orangewing looked at them admiringly. Her kits were soon going to be apprentices. But only Mistykit was over playing, Snowkit and Whitekit, her other kits, were playing by themselves. Why isn’t Mistykit playing with her sisters? More importantly why aren’t Whitekit and Snowkit playing with their sister? Oakheart padded over to Orangewing. The usual spring in is step gone.  
“Orangewing, Shadowheart, wants to see you.” Oakheart mewed sadly.  
“Ok, but watch the kits Oakheart.” She padded away. She found herself in the elders den laying next to Shadowheart.  
“I’ll be walking with StarClan soon Orangewing, you must be prepared.” She meowed tiredly.  
“I know Shadowheart, I know.” She whispered quietly as grief clouded her eyes. Orangewing nuzzled Shadowheart pelt, she knew that Shadowheart was experiencing pain from the way she breathed. Mistykit padded in, no longer laughing from the playing. In fact looking in pain.  
“I’m sorry Orangewing,” She mewed sadly.  
“It’s alright Mistykit, it isn’t your fault.” Orangewing brought her closer with a sweep of a tail.   
“Shadowheart, are you really going to go to Starclan?” She mewed her voice faltering. She couldn’t imagine losing Orangewing, but that was what Orangewing was going through, losing her mother.   
“Yes Mistykit, but I’ll always be with you.” Orangewing got up to get Peppertail, the medicine cat, she would be the one to see Shadowheart off. Mistykit watched in horror as Shadowheart’s breathing got shallower and shallower,   
“Shadowheart, I’ll name one of my kit’s after you! In honor of you.”  
“Mistykit, that’s so….” But her sentence would never be finished, she had joined Starclan. Mistykit pushed her muzzle into her fur. “So what Shadowheart? So what?”   
“Sweet,” She heard a distant voice like Shadowheart’s. She looked at Shadowheart, she was dead. Where was it coming from? She didn’t know. She was distantly aware of Peppertail coming in.  
“Oh, oh, Mistykit,” She breathed. Peppertail was horrified that the young kit had already seen death. But to her surprise, Mistykit looked up and smiled.  
“I hear Starclan! I hear Starclan. I heard Shadowheart after she died!” She paused, “Could I, Could I become a medicine cat?”   
“Of course you could!” Peppertail said enthusiastically. “Redheart with certainly take on an Apprentice.”   
“Soon there will be 3 medicine cats! Redheart, You, and I!” She meowed so happily Peppertail thought no cat could get happier.  
“Yes, but probably just Redheart and You,” She paused, “I’ve begun to feel my age moons ago. But, I promise I’ll stay until you’re a full medicine cat.”  
“Aw! I don’t want you to die.”  
“Don’t worry, I won’t anytime soon, now, come along to the Medicine Den, I’ll even show you the Apprentice Medicine Den!” She mewed enthusiastically. Mistykit just stared with big blue eyes and a huge smile. Peppertail told Mistykit to go over to the Medicine Den, Peppertail needed to tell Blizzardstar about Shadowheart.   
Mistykit got to the Medicine Den, there were two now, one for each medicine cat and one Apprentice Medicine Den for Mistykit, once she was apprenticed. But Mistykit only had a little bit to wait. In two sunrises she would be apprenticed. Those sunrises were the longest of her life. But finally Orangewing groomed her and her two littermates Whitekit and Snowkit went out into the clearing, her den mates Rainpaw, Fallingpaw, and Otterpaw, Had been made apprentices one sunrise before. Now it was Whitekit, Snowkit, and Mistykit’s turn.  
“Whitekit, please step forward. From this moment on you will be known as Whitepaw, your mentor is Redleaf. Redleaf, I mentored you, you will, undoubting pass on the patience and courage a warrior needs.” He paused as Redleaf and Whitepaw touched noses, He continued. “Snowkit, from this moment on you will be known as Snowpaw until you are a warrior. Blacknose is your mentor, Blacknose, you are a young she-cat ready for your first apprentice, you have a bound of patience and you are a wonderful warrior, please pass these on to Snowpaw.” Waiting as Blacknose and Snowpaw touched noses, Redheart padded to the front, Peppertail near by. “Mistykit, you are now Mistypaw, your gifts and ready to be perused, Redheart, is a fantastic Medicine Cat, Redheart will also train you in basic battle and defensive skills you if necessary you fight. Peppertail did a wonderful job mentoring Redheart, now Redheart will do a wonderful job metering you.” Redheart and Mistypaw touched noses. Snowpaw and Whitepaw looked at Mistypaw, they hadn’t known that she had chosen to become a medicine cat. Orangewing had been told that she was considering but had never been told the final decision. Redheart and Mistypaw walked to the Medicine den. All 3 of the dens were connected by a tunnel system. There was a waterfall in the Medicine Den and the Apprentice Medicine Den. There was a deep and shallow pool in each den, there was a path of stone that went around the back wall at the edge of the water that led to another room in which you slept.   
“Mistypaw, go back along the path to your den space, I’ll show you,” Redheart led the way. “You build a fire in that little hole, there, when you are old enough.” She led the way back to the clearing of the den, the Main Area, she called it,  
“See the moss near the pool? That continuously grows because of the water, grab some and go make a nest, I’ll be in my den, come to me when your finished, oh, there are some feathers and sticks, and other nest making material in that hole next to the moss, you use that.”  
“Thanks Redheart!”  
“No problem.” She went under the rock that divided the dens. Mistypaw looked around, the entrance was draped with ferns, making privacy, there were holes with rocks over them, herbs and medicines there. There were thorns on the wall cobweb hanging from them. The pool, Peppertail had told her was for washing cuts, getting drinks, and washing off. Being a medicine cat, you should wash off every night Peppertail had also told her.   
Mistypaw padded over to the moss, but before grabbing any stuck her paw in the water, it was warm, there were slabs of rock until the bottom. She grabbed the moss and went along the path to her Den Space. It was fairly large, bigger than the nursery, the whole nursery. She padded to the corner of the wall, she made a nest there. She got the feathers and put them in, intertwining them to fit perfectly, she added sticks to the perimeter to hold it together. She got in it, it was soft. She got some more feathers and tied them together with soft long grass. Something to put on her on cold nights. And nights would be getting colder and colder, it would soon be leaf-bare.   
But following Redheart’s instructions she went in the tunnel that was under the rock to Redheart’s den. Redheart wasn’t there, she called out.  
“Redheart?” No reply. She went to the next tunnel, but because she knew it led to Peppertail’s den she paused and called under, “Redheart?”   
“Oh! Coming Mistypaw!” She raced through the tunnel coming up into her den.   
“Mistypaw, now lets take a look at your nest.” Mistypaw went through with ease, Redheart too, it was a spacious tunnel. Redheart and Mistypaw stood next to her nest.   
“What are the extra feathers for?”  
“I’ll lay them on me when it’s cold.”  
“Good idea, could you make those for the kits and the elders?”   
“Sure!” Mistypaw set off to work, soon Redheart caught on and they made 7 before the two went out for fresh kill. They gave out the feather contraptions to the oldest elders and the newborn kits. Redheart ate alone at the edge of the clearing, near the medicine den. Mistypaw padded over to her sisters.   
“Hey medicine cat!” Snowpaw mewed.   
“Hey warriors!” She called. Then she realized she wouldn’t train with her sisters.   
“Whats wrong ping pong?”   
“What’s ping pong?”  
“I heard one of the Elders say it in a story about a Two-Leg,”   
“Oh, still, what is it?”  
“I don’t know!”


	8. Chapter 8

Ashkit clicked her eyes open. Seeing darkness pushed them closed and opened them again. Her small amber eyes were adjusting to the darkness of the transition of Moonlow to Suncoming. After Suncoming was Sunhigh, then Sunlow, Mooncoming, Moonhigh, and Moonlow, then the cycle went around again. The sun was just peeking up and the moon was just visible from the bush her, her mother, Poppydawn, and her littermates called home.   
The bush was growing inside of a large hollow tree. Where a branch had been, there was a hole. There were other holes where other sources of protection were, such as other bushes. There was moss growing all along where she slept. Small separate nests in one big nest. Ashkit’s nest was in the back, where the tree had turned, bent even. There was extra moss where she laid her soft red head. It had only been two days since her birth and it was the middle of Noleaf. Snow layered the ground in thick blankets. The fox that handled medicines and herbs for the pack, Lilygrass, had placed special double sided moss on top of her small pelt.   
She was the smallest of her two sisters, Pinekit, and Vinekit. Vinekit was the largest weighing half a boulder, she was close to an apprentice. Pinekit was more than quarter boulder but less that half boulder, the pack considered her 10 stones. 5 stones was between nothing and quarter. Ashkit was only about 1 or 2 stones more than 5 stones. It was a very low measurement. Even for kits. Since it was winter the tiny pin sized holes near Ashkit’s head were covered with cobwebs on both sides. During Leafcome and Leaf-all, they were uncovered so when there was a breeze, you could feel it.   
Ashkit strained her ears so hard her head hurt until she stopped and laid her head on her paws again. She closed her eyes as the freezing cold air blew into the nursery, but didn’t feel it. Her sister Pinekit shivered at the cold, Vinekit stirred and her mother swished her tail. Ashkit was unaffected because Lilygrass was concerned about her. She had placed a number of twigs against the top of the log blocking the cold air. Ashkit heard a loud clap of thunder and heard, finally, the snow fall. Lightning lit up the sky and thunder was heard all most seconds after. Thunder snow.   
Ashkit, as silently as she could, pushed herself up and padded around her sisters and mother. She Stared out of the opening of the hole. The bush was basically overtop of her because the den they were in was sort of burrowed. She climbed up to the top and sat. Staring out at the small snowflakes. She knew in a den or so over there was a kit named Snowkit. Vinekit had ventured out the day of birth and met Snowkit. Snowkit had a face with gray designs sort of like a web. Her name once she gets older should be Snowflake. Ashkit thought. She dared herself to step out into the snow. It had a soft crunch to it, and it was very cold. She jumped with shock and glee and she stepped onto the snow. But when she jumped she landed herself in the snow. Ashkit didn’t know how to use her tail to balance herself.   
Her pack, Freestar Pack, copied off of a few things cats did. The eldest of elders in her pack had a father, who’s father had lived around a clan of cats named Thunderclan. They called what the foxes call Fasters, Monsters, and what the foxed call One Hairs, Twolegs. Foxes also learned to use their tails to balance themselves. But they did a lot of their own things. Like Tell fish apart, Silvers, Browns, Peachs, and Whiskers. They also had celebrations. If it was a foxes birthday they had their favorite food, and that fox helped the leader for a day, that is followed her around. Or him.   
Ashkit’s paws soon got used to the freezing cold and she ventured out around camp, well that is if you call five paces and then back into the nest, an adventure. She padded back to her little nest shivering in the cold, but felt stronger because she had done it.   
Her sister nudged her side. She only opened one eye and closed it again.   
“Come on lazy,” Pinekit barked. With an insult Ashkit jumped up so fast, Pinekit fell backwards. “Is that all it took? An insult?”   
“Guess so, Tree.” She growled. Tree had become her nickname. Because of Pine trees, she called her Tree. Pinekit was offended. She got up in a tackling position she had learned from watching the apprentices. Ashkit was still a lot smaller, weighing a quarter boulder. Tree was Half boulder now. Vinekit was between Half boulder and Boulder, a measurment known as 15 stones.   
She sprinted up and tackled Ashkit. Ashkit screamed in excoriating pain. Poppydawn ran in and yelping in fear looking at her smallest daughter: curled up in a ball her back right paw bent in an odd position.   
“LILYGRASS! COME QUICK! LILYGRASS! LILYGRASS!” She yelped. Pinekit had fled as soon as Ashkit screamed. Vinekit had come up and looked at her through the same amber eyes. She bent down on her two front knees and put her head on her paws. Lilygrass came over. She was an unusual fox. Her eyes were the color of lily grass, but her pelt was dappled with grey and her pelt was overall white. She was young, only about 1 or 2 Moss Grows. Acording to Sappyfern, the ancestor of ancestors of ancestors. The first leader of Freestar Pack, had said a year was how long it took for nature to produce 1 maple leaf sized quantity of moss. So Freestar Pack, called one year 1 Moss Grow. Freestar Pack was the only pack to call one year one Moss Grow. Onlystar Pack called it One Gone. Livestar Pack called it 12 Hello’s and 2 Goodbye’s. Because in Livestar pack, 12 animals are named and welcomed and 2 foxes leave and study plants or animals, then come back and train to become Medicine Foxes. Growstar Pack called it one Growth. Because after one year you could become and apprentice and that was Growth for the Pack.   
Lilygrass looked up to the sky and closed her eyes,   
“After all my careful precautions…” She murmured angrily. She bent down over Ashkit and asked Vinekit,   
“go fine Pinekit, bring her back, tell her its ok. No one is mad at her, it was an accident.” Vinekit nodded, she turned to Poppydawn.   
“Go find Frostyfur, then get your mate, Darkclaw.” She ordered. Poppydawn turned to leave, “But don’t come back here or to the Medicine Den, just… eat some fresh kill


	9. Chapter 9

Flowerkit slowly opened her eyes in the dawn light. She immediately saw that Poppyeye had left the nest, and Dawngrass was absent from the nursery also. In fact all of the young ones’ mothers were gone. She turned her head to see the clearing where you could easily see everything. Flowerkit could easily make out Silverstar on the high rock. The rest of the clan seated underneath in the clearing. Pebbletail, the deputy, and Ashneedle, the medicine cat, perched on the low rock.  
“Ravenkit! Pebblekit, Lilykit! There’s a meeting! Look!” Flowerkit mewed across to her neighboring nest. Ravenkit answered her first.  
“Don’t think I haven’t been watching! Pebblekit!” Ravenkit meowed nudging Pebblekit in the muzzle, “Wake up! You need to be awake the whole night when your made a warrior!”  
“Were not even apprentices yet Ravenkit!”  
“But soon we’ll be! I’m almost six moons! Wait! I am six moons, we’re all six moons, today!”  
“Wait, what? Today? Not yet, really?”  
“Yeah Lilykit, look at the days ‘till we are, I need to mark one out in the dirt because it’s today! See, no days left!”  
Ravenkit was right. The days were all scratched out, brown and true. The ground was always there.  
“The ground never lies!” Flowerkit announced, “It’s always under our feet, no matter where we go, It’ll be there!”   
“Everyone be quiet, lets sleep some more before we have to become our apprentice selves, I don’t want to be tired on our first day of training!” Lilykit mews.  
“Fine!” “Fine!” “Fine!” Pebblekit, Ravenkit, and Flowerkit, all belowed together. Pebblekit and Ravenkit, all closed their eyes, Flowerkit, however, kept her eyes open. She jumped up and practiced stalking the moss she always played with. Wait! She thought, This is kit behavior, I need to act like an apprentice if I want to be one! She thought silently, as she padded out the path to the Mudplace. The thorns around the edge were high, but perfect size for Flowerkit to crawl through and go and hunt a mouse. Except, she didn’t know how.   
She squeezed through a hole and smelled the air. A burst of unfamiliar scents filled her world. Which is a mouse and which is an adder? If I run into an adder, and I go to Snakerocks, Oh! I’ll never become an apprentice! She followed her instincts. This must be a mouse, I’ve smelled a million birds already, when will I find a mouse? She snuck through the bramble. She spotted an animal that was lurking in the grass. Is that a mouse? Or a vole? Wait! A vole is a bird thing, right? Or is a mouse a bird creature? Isn’t a mouse the one that is furry and has a tail?   
“Why can’t I figure anything out?” She meowed loudly. The vole looked up and ran off. That was a vole, not a mouse. I can just tell. I know it! She walked around, then realizing it was sunhigh, turned around and headed strait home. Sunhigh at Greenleaf was the hottest time. Flowerkit padded along. She finally found the entrance into camp. She padded into the nursery. She looked around, Ashneedle was waiting in the nursery.   
“Flowerkit do you feel alright? You were in the Mudplace a very long time, are you alright? Do you need any herbs?” The young medicine cat mewed. The old medicine cat Herbfrost, had died two moons ago, Ashneedle was very new and didn’t know what the herbs were called but knew what they looked like.  
“I’m fine Ashneedle, I was just, doing some….thing, something,”  
“Are you sure Flowerkit?”  
“Yes, where is Pebblekit? And Lilykit?”  
“Out in the clearing, eating their well deserved lunch, they helped the apprentices demoss and remoss the Elders’ den.”  
“Oh, I’ll go eat, I’m starved after my…..” Flowerkit paused, “after being in the Mudplace so long….”  
“Oh, are you sure Flowerkit? You are sure you don’t need the herb I should give you when you have….”  
“No! I don’t need it!” Flowerkit meowed and strode out of the Nursery. She met Pebblekit, Lilykit, and Ravenkit eating a vole and a mouse.   
“Hey guys, I hope you’re gonna share that vole, because, Pebblekit and Lilykit are sharing the mouse.” Flowerkit said.  
“Yeah, whatever. I’m going to go see if Pebbletail needs any help because if he does, I’ll be more than willing!” Ravenkit meowed and walked over to Pebbletail.   
Flowerkit walked over to the eldest elder, Greypelt.  
“Greypelt, will you tell me the story of how you attacked the deputy of Riverclan?  
“Of course Flowerkit, where is your mother though?”  
“I’m not sure where Poppyeye is but if you ask Dawngrass I’m sure she’ll know.”  
“Ok, I’ll have to do that. Ok, the story. I was a young warrior, had only been made a warrior two moons back, Shallowtail, Fawnpaw, Silverpaw, Pebblepaw, and your mother, Poppypaw, along with her best friend Dawnpaw. You know, Some of those names will be heard around the camp soon, because of Poppykit, Silverkit, Pebblekit, and Fawnkit. We all were walking by the Training Hollow, we walked past a stream. The stream we walked past is more like a river now. Firestar had died, a few moons before I was born. We had moved twice before I was born and then we walked back here, this was our starting point. We found out that the two legs hadn’t really destroyed our territory, just knocking down everything around it but all the clans territory was fine! So we came back and did everything the was it was before all the moving was done.” Greypelt kept telling the story Flowerkit always loved but she started to think of herself as her mother. Poppypaw. She was the one who fought side by side with Silverpaw, the leader of the clan. Greypelt’s story went on. Flowerkit kept thinking about herself being Poppypaw. But soon enough it was nearly Silverpelt. Silverstar leaped up onto the Highrock.   
“All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock!” She meowed. The clan all gathered at the edge.  
“We are here to welcome new kit’s into apprenticeship! Pebblekit?” Pebblekit stepped forward. “From this day on until you are a warrior you will be known as Pebblepaw. Your mentor, Nightbramble.” Nightbramble stepped forward and touched noses with his apprentice. “Ravenkit? Until you are a warrior, and I doubt that won’t be long, you will be Ravenpaw. Your mentor will be, Goldenpelt.” Goldenpelt also touched noses as a symbol of respect. “Lilykit, Until warriors of Starclan welcome you to become a full fledge warrior, you are Lilypaw. Your mentor, is I.” Silverstar jumped down and touched Lilypaw’s nose. A murmur through the clan as she walked back up to the Highrock. “Flowerkit, you are now Flowerpaw. Your mentor, Pebbletail, not alone though, I shall train you also.” A really big fuss was given at the end of the remarks. Pebbletail and Silverstar both jumped from their positions ion the high rock. And touched noses with the happy Flowerpaw.


End file.
